Game show host Bill Cullen was born on this day in 1920.


He spent 40 years hosting practically every game show in the world, or so it seemed: Meet Your Match, Winner Take All, Professor Yes 'n No, Bank on the Stars, Name That Tune, Blockbusters, etc, etc. He was the original host of The Price is Right (yup, before Bob Barker, from 1956-65). He was a panelist on To Tell the Truth and I've Got a Secret.

The IMDB lists 52 shows for Cullen in all (with a few parades and guest host shots thrown in). And that doesn't include his five years of radio game show gigs at the start.

Bill Cullen's last show was The Joker's Wild. (He stepped in after the death of original host Jack Barry.) Cullen retired in 1986 and died of lung cancer in 1990

Bill Cullen was an institution in the game show world!

Bill Cullen was an institution in the game show world!

Here here. Bill was to game shows what Walter Cronkite was to TV news and Johnny Carson to talk shows. He's the one who set the standard, and made sure he had fun along the way. :)

Bill once said "When I started in this business, Roosevelt was in the White House - not FDR, Teddy." He was kidding, of course.

Game show host Bill Cullen was born on this day in 1920.

Actually, his birth date was February 18. This post is listed as being February 26th. Bill shares the same birthday with Vanna White, obviously not the same year.

Bill Cullen's last show was The Joker's Wild. (He stepped in after the death of original host Jack Barry.) Cullen retired in 1986 and died of lung cancer in 1990

This is true. His last guest appearance was on the $25,000 Pyramid with host Dick Clark in 1987. He was paired up against Betty White that week.

I remember Bill Cullen's years on The Price Is Right. He was a very likeable host.

:birthday:

Happy belated Birthday, Bill. You were a class act.:)